Last post for 2007 ~ Goodbye 2007

My weight [& probably my cholestoral level as well] continues to shoot up since my visit to Beijing last month. How I wish it was my bank account balance [credit side of coz] that grew instead! With Jane's return to Kch, all we do all the day long is eat, Eat, EAt and EAT! Exercising is practically non-existent unless you count food chewing as one form of work out. I'm basically living a pig's life at the moment. 托Jane的福, 我发福了

( . ) <--- front view of my expanded tummy :'(

Mum cooks big meals everyday because she only has two weeks to pamper Jane with home cooked food. And because of Jane's short stay, she tries to squeeze in as many eating activities as she can. Sometimes, we eat up to 7 times a day! And this morning, I actually woke up 1 hour earlier than my usual time so we could have breakfast at one of her favourite kopitiams, 全春! Jane was disappointed because her favourite laksa stall isn't opened until Weds. But at least, she got to have her long awaited 3-layered teh c peng. Her plan for the next 5 days is to visit 全春 every morning. Errrrrrr Jane, can u tao pao for me? ;p

Today is the last day of 2007. It felt as if it was only yesterday that I welcomed 2007 optimistically. Almost a year ago, i started this blog and i remembered talking abt my NY's resolutions in my very 1st post! 365 days just come and go like that. Looking back, I haven't achieved much! My 'well' is still dry, my weight has increased. The only thing that has grown is my appetite, my desire for food ;p'

I've done a rough calculation. If we were to live until the age of 75 [yes, am being very optimistic again], that means we have abt 27,375 days on Earth. Sounds a lot? Wait til you deduct the number of days u have lived so far! If you are 35 & above, u only have less than 15,000 days left to live! My point? Eat and play all you can now so you die with no regrets!! ^^

Happy New Year to you all! May all of us be beautiful, adorable, happy, healthy, young, slim and rich always. May our wishes all come true and MOST IMPORTANTLY, may our world be forever peaceful and harmonious [I sound as if I'm getting ready to compete in Miss Universe. I think I'm only eligible for Ms Hippo ;p] (^^)y

"Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right."

~Oprah Winfrey~

Movie Nite

We made a last min decision to watch "Warlords" last nite.



Because of movie night and public holiday, we ended up sitting in row B. Yup, the 2nd row! To see the WHOLE screen, I actually had to turn my head left/right! *sore neck*

Jet Li is one of my idols. I even have a collection of all his movies - 黄飞鸿, 方世玉, 洪熙官 etc............. in video tapes! Yes, I'm from THAT generation ;p If I were to play the movies now, I'd have to search in antique stores to get a video player! haha...

Not sure if it was because I sat too close to the screen or what, Jet Li looks quite old and chubby in the movie. Actually, I don't really care what he has become. He is still cool, esp when he kung fu fights! *drool* ;p'


Oooo, I even saw the school where he learned Kung Fu in Beijing!

Beijing Shicahai Sports School

Andy Lau and Takeshi are not bad too. Of coz, being the faithful one, I only have eyes for Jet Li ;p The movie is good. Some parts are quite sad. I even reached out for my hankie to wipe my tears! *sob*

It's common to meet inconsiderate people in Kch cinema. Last night, there was a bunch of lak kia playing noisily during the movie! I really wish I could kung fu fight like Jet Li. Not that I wanna bully people (Jenn is too kind hearted to do that). I just wanna 无隐脚 ("transparent kick") these people to shut them up!! The stranger next to me even choo choo train! Gosh...

Food for sharing

Aaahhh... I'm still in holiday mood.

I blame my friends because lately, I keep receiving news that people are travelling somewhere for holiday! Niceeee...!! I can't help but think back to my Beijing trip. hehe, some of u are probably bored with my constant talk of BJ but I can't help walking down the memory lane, again! Blame my friends because they are the cause haha...

My friends think I'm a food addict. Hmm.. i don't know where i got this reputation *in denial* I do eat a lot of meals throughout the day. hehe, what to do? I go hungry fast.

They also say I eat 'weird' stuff. Stuff that people don't normally like or eat (like onions - raw or cooked! Yummm..). When it comes to food, I'm pretty easy-going. I get a bit more adventurous when I'm in a foreign country. Eating what the locals eat is the way to understand a new country. It's the way to get to know the place, people and their culture! ^^ I don't blindly eat k. I eat with reasons.

I've never eaten little lambs or sheeps or goats all my life. I just don't like the 'smell'. But I ate quite a fair bit in BJ! *unbelievable!* I had to!

We went to a very nice restaurant for Mongolian Buffet where customers can dine and enjoy live Mongolian perfomances at the same time. And what do Mongolians eat? GOATS! Lots and lots of goats - fresh goat milk, goat milk candies, BBQ mutton 'satays', roasted whole goat, lamb shank, goats' 'spare parts' etc. Goats occupy 95% of the buffet tables. They also serve other things like Mongolian noodles soup, dumplings, chicken, pork, vege, sashimi, sushi etc. Come to Mongolian Buffet, must be Mongolian. So I joined the rest and digged in.

I tried all the mutton-related food. I can't believe I'm saying this - they tasted so good! I couldn't even tell that I was eating goats! I even had two kebabs stuffed with roasted goat meat! There were so many varieties of food to eat that I lost track of the number of times I went back to get more! haha... Man, this meal was really value for money. I was too busy to even watch the perfomances! haha...

Another incredible thing abt this buffet is that, you can have all the fresh fruit juice, canned drinks, yoghurt, beer, wine you want!! At the wine section, I told the waiter that I want a glass of their best wine. He quickly grabbed a bottle, opened it and handed it to me. Yes, the WHOLE bottle! I looked at him and said in amazement "Is this all for me?". He nodded. OMG! Okie, I may look like a country pumpkin but which restaurant in Kch can offer such a deal??? NONE, definitely!

I'm actually drooling while writing abt this unforgettable experience! I feel hungry just by thinking back! *going to fridge to look for food* This place is like a Disneyland for food lovers. It makes u feel excited the minute u see the fun that you will get ~.~

My last plate of food
The nuts & seeds 'pie' is my favourite! Had 3 pcs altogether ;p

Master at work - slicing roasted goat for us!
Haiya, just give me the whole goat!

Drink all you can!

Go ahead & get drunk!

Okie, I know I said in the beginning that I like to eat what the locals eat. But, there is always an exception to everything ^^ And the exception is:

BUGS!!!

I hate bugs
I am afraid of bugs
I don't live well with bugs
I don't eat bugs

Fried Grasshoppers, silk worms and lizards @_@

Look crispy don't they?
I didn't even know that star fishes were edible until I saw someone eating one!

Baby Scorpions and sea horses

Bigger, darker & more poisonous LIVE scorpions! Ewww...

Can get these weird food at Wangfujing Snack Street 王府井小吃街 which is only a 2 mins walk from our hotel. The bugs sellers kept persuading us to try their exotic snacks. They are local delicacies. Emmm, I'm not so hungry. Feel so 'ge li' just by seeing them, let alone put in my mouth! *No Appetite*

These are more to my liking. Bugs must be thankful that I spared their lives ;p

冰糖葫芦 Lots of new varieties
眼花撩乱

BBQ sweet potatoes at roadside. Very sweet!! It's one of my favourites in China. So nice to eat hot potatoes and chestnuts in winter. They warmed up my cold hands and body immediately.

“We may live without poetry, music and art; We may live without conscience, and live without heart; We may live without friends; we may live without books; But civilized man cannot live without cooks.”

~Edward Bulwer-Lytton (1831-1891) Lucile (1860)~

Seasons Greeting

2007 is beating us goodbye in exactly 20 days. Time flies! Hey, I must agree with that! Time zooms past right before my eyes without me realising it! Tricky, tricky. When I was small, it felt as if I took forever to grow up. But now, I wish time would slow down a bit!

According to many sources, those who were born in my year are ranked number 1 黑仔 among all. For the first time in my life, I actually beat others and rank No. 1!!! Nothing is good basically. One master even advised that we should go to bed before 9am for 'safety reason'. Guess the world is safer without us huh?

Am I destined to have a black life in 2008? NOT AGAIN!!! Oh My! Life seems to get worse and worse.... ;'( *sigh* My hope that a new year will bring a fresh new beginning has gone with the wind.... Sad Sad...

Okie, better move to a happier topic before I cry myself to sleep ;p

Speaking of happy, Xmas is just around the corner!! \(~V~)/ Yeeeaaahhhh....

I love Xmas ~ love the sights of beautifully and brightly decorated xmas trees, xmas carols, xmas puddings & cakes, gingerbread houses, santa claus, snowman, reindeers, gifts, turkey & wine, etc.

It's time for me to set up my christmas tree again! n.n All I need is some Christmas presents to put under it. hehe, you guys know what to do liao.....

*Sharing is Caring*

cheesecakes, muffins, chocs & gingerbread house at Hilton

A nite with the Ducks

I started imagining having this meal ever since we decided to visit Beijing months ago. I fly all the way to Beijing, so MUST NOT miss the Famous Beijing Dish ~~ Peking Duck! Otherwise, how to forgive myself?? How to say that I've been to Beijing?? How to.....???

I very much wanted to run straight to the Beijing's 老字号 called 全聚德 (one of the restaurants that makes yummilicious Peking Duck) the minute I stepped out of the plane. But we had something arranged everyday & nite, so I had to wait for it to happen. Painful, torturing 10 days man!! The best meal was actually saved for last! LAST, really. Only got to taste it on our final night in BJ! Right before we left for airport! Mixed feelings again - I was excited [Peking Duck, finally] and sad [End of my holiday] at the same time. In icon terms ~ (^V^)y + :'(

I will let the pictures speak for the meal itself. I only have one word for it - Brilliant!

Cute little duckie that holds my chopsticks!

Duck Master in action
- slicing crispy, juicy duck skin & meat for a bunch of hungry guests

So yum yum that i'm licking my monitor now!

The long-awaited food - Steamy warm pancakes & crispy, crunchy, juicy Peking Duck! Can't wait to wrap them in the pancakes together spring onions & sauce & put them in my mouth!!

Contented look
*puff, really full after 7 servings of Peking Duck Rolls, etc!*

A unique 小菜 - pork and salted egg yorks!
High in cholestoral but who cares...

My favourite 小菜 - Honey Red Dates!
I ate them all when friends were not looking ^^.

Foodie Goodie

Believe it or not, I was ranked only the 2nd Great & Big Eater in Beijing. *What?! I'm not the 1st??!?!* Told u guys that I don't eat a lot lorrrr... *V*

During the trip, i noticed that the Top Great & Big Eater in our group is indeed a Great & Big Eater. He practically stuffs everything into his tummy, regardless of the taste and quality of the food. I can see why I'm ranked the 2nd. Even I willingly present him with that title with both hands! haha...

I may be eating slightly more than an average person but I've my own food philosophy. I eat only good quality & tasty food. must have valid reasons that i can live with mah. Why becoming a hippo for bad food that I don't enjoy/like? Learn from the master - this is called proper planning... ^^

If you visit Beijing, U must not miss Gui Street 簋街 (发音为“鬼街). It's a food street that never sleeps! How I know? J & I tested it by sneaking out to Gui Street for supper at 12am on a week night. It was freezing But the street was still brightly lit with red lanterns and there were still hungry people like us wandering around looking for food to eat.



As we walked on the street trying to figure out which restaurant to go into, the waiters started promoting their restaurants' specialites by reading us a long list of their menus. Without a comma or full stop that is. All I heard was "@£!%^&&*$("@......" Incredible!!! We also stopped in between to comment on the menus we saw - fried rabbit head? grilled rabbit? dog meat? 羊蝎子? 爆牛肚? etc. errrm... I'm simple person. Simple food will do lah.

炸兔头anyone?

We settled at a very small (only 9 tables in total & a bit run down compared to the big & nicely decorated restaurants nearby) but crowded eating place. Don't judge a book by its cover because not only were food very good but also very CHEAP!

拉面, 凉醋花生--非常清淡

刀削面
[Yes, It's soaked in oil but tastes damn GOOD!]

It's dinner time! Yummmm....
Eating raw garlics with noodles is Heavenly....

It was a nice feeling to swallow hot soupy food and cold beer in the freezing winter! I know it's suicidal [heard that cancer can develop by mixing hot food & cold drink] but it is just too wonderful not to do it!! You gotta try the combo! It warms u up on the inside immediately! Very contented lah... We even went back for the 2nd time!!

Rainy Days

It has been raining non-stop in Kch since last Friday. How I wish it was snowing instead! At least I could ski, build a snowman, become a snow angel or even snowballs fight!

I love it when it rains, esp in the morning. But not when it rains excessively like this. In fact, it has started to affect my mood! The gloomy and wet weather makes me feel cold and sad! :( I miss Ms Sunshine so much and the butterflies, busy bees, birdies, crickets, fire flies, blue sky, etc!

I dress shabbily because of the wet weather. My heart aches to see my good/ nice shoes, jeans or long pants wet, dirty, or get spoiled mah. What I really need now is a pair of pinky rain boots (the ones we used to wear when small).

Don't know if they come in adult sizes or not. Harrr... I don't want the black ones leh... I don't wanna look like Phua Chu Kang!! I rather look shabby in my crappy slippers....

eeee... He has upgraded to yellow boots! In oh

かわ いいね

可愛いね!!

Not the Ah Pek lah. I mean the small kids. Duhhh...



She is so cute that I just had to lift her up!! She is turning two this month (Happy Birthday Cutie) & can even speak English!!

Matching colours ~ Pink & Pink & Pink!

Say Cheeezzzeeeee.. YEAH!

Actually, we came her to see Lugou Bridge (also known as Marco Polo Bridge). The bridge may look ordinary. It's in fact, a very special place in the history of China. Apart from its stunning beauty and amazing architecture, it is also a place that holds many painful memories as it was here that the 8-year-long War of Resistance against the Imperial Japanese Army started in 1937, that culminated with the surrender of Japan in 1945.

Today, this is also a place where the locals mingle with the tourists.

It was a beautiful day to be outdoor

It's the season to be jolly!

Beijing is the perfect place and season for me now.

Sweet persimmon in my hand

It's the season for PERSIMMONS 柿子!!

The Chinese persimmons don't look like the normal round ones that we get in Australia, etc, but they taste just as nice. I prefer & love crunchy persimmons. Because biting into soft ones are just so..... weird & 'ge-li'!

However in China, people consider that as 'pre-mature'. They eat only the 'slimmy' & "goo-ey" ones. I thought I wouldn't like it that way but....... I do!! Surprisingly! It's so soft (& watery) that it's like 'drinking' persimmon juice! SwEeEeeeeettt... Someone, pls hand me a straw!

Hmmmmm.....

I got very excited when we traveled from Beijing to Cheng De by bus. I jumped out from my seat (and no longer feeling sleepy) and stuck myself to the window at the sight of thousands of golden permissons 'dumped' on the ground (like 小山丘!) at the roadside for sale!! Each time we past by piles and piles of persimmons, pears, apples, Shan Cha, red dates and wild nuts, i got more and more excited! How i wanted to get out of the car to buy them all!! Or better, just swim in sea of persimmons & eat them at the same time! ;p


Bus was moving too fast, so I didn't manage to take a pic of the incredible sight! :( It's captured in my mind though (^.^) Unfortunately, you can't look into my brain hehe... The image is still fresh in my mind & it makes me want to move to Beijing this instant!!! ^^

Small stalls operated by farmers at the roadside

Dried berries aren't bad either!! It's called 野姑娘

"Twinkle, Twinkle Little Persimmons"

Just look at my messy hair, puffy eyes and face!! Isn't it easy to tell that I just arrived in Beijing?? hahaha... I didn't sleep on the place at all because I was OVER-EXCITED! (; Didn't really wanna show you this pic. Hesitated so long but hehe, nvm. You know I usually look better than this ^^